A few days prior, Kolpa had personally overseen the restructuring of Prince Tazz's forces.
Most of the mercenaries were dismissed—either sent away or quietly pushed out—and replaced with disciplined, trained soldiers. Only a handful of mercenaries remained, retained solely for their unique skills.
The camp, once chaotic and disorganized, now moved with purpose.
Prince Tazz watched it all in amazement.
"Things are really coming together," he said, a blissful smile stretching across his face.
"All thanks to you, Sir Kolpa."
Kolpa folded his arms, a proud smirk forming.
"But of course. What did you expect?" he replied coolly.
"Still… we are far from ready to challenge anyone yet."
His tone sharpened.
Prince Tazz nodded eagerly.
"The training, then?" he said confidently. "That must be what we're missing."
Kolpa shook his head.
"Not exactly."
Prince Tazz blinked.
"You need power of your own," Kolpa continued, his voice lowering.
"Power that makes your enemies tremble before you. Power so absolute that even without your men, no one in their right mind would dare face you—even with an army."
Prince Tazz stared at him, stunned.
Confusion… then excitement.
"S-Something like that sounds impossible," he said hesitantly.
"For someone like me, Sir Kolpa."
Kolpa stepped closer.
"Oh, it's very possible," he said calmly.
"And if you trust me… that power will be yours."
Hope flooded Prince Tazz's face.
Desperation followed.
"I trust you with everything," he said, his smile twisting unnaturally.
"I want that power—no matter the cost."
Kolpa smiled back.
Got him.
"Excellent," Kolpa said smoothly.
"I'll be leaving for a while to prepare what you'll need."
He turned, already walking away.
"When I return," he added, "you will be invisible."
Prince Tazz's breath caught.
"Believe in me. And wait."
Kolpa gestured casually.
"Excuse me. I'll go observe the men's training."
As Kolpa disappeared into the camp, Prince Tazz remained standing there—trembling with anticipation.
"What an unexpected turn of events…" he murmured, then laughed.
"I don't mind it one bit."
His laughter grew louder, echoing through the camp.
"Just you wait, Erica… Father… Corpse Prince…"
His eyes burned with obsession.
"I will be inevitable."
⸻
The ocean howled beneath the twin vessels as they tore through the waves, cutting the sea faster than any horse could ever hope to run on land. Their hulls bore a new crest—black and crimson, sharp and unfamiliar—the sigil of Jace.
He was moving toward the Unified Nation of Warmark unseen.
On the deck of the lead ship stood Pyon, one of the Grand Four Generals, gripping the railing with barely contained excitement. Beside him was Demiurge, one of Jace's right-hand men—an emissary assigned by his father, Pluto himself. Behind them stood hundreds of human soldiers, silent, disciplined, and unaware of how insignificant they truly were in the eyes of the man they served.
"Master Jace," Pyon said eagerly, unable to restrain himself, "we're making incredible progress. A journey that should take four days is being completed in just six hours!"
Jace did not respond.
He stood at the bow, cloak fluttering violently in the wind, eyes fixed on the distant horizon. His expression was cold—too calm. The sea itself seemed to shrink away from his presence.
Noticing the silence, Pyon swallowed and wisely chose to say nothing more.
A moment later, Demiurge stepped forward.
"Young master," he said evenly. Jace turned his gaze slightly toward him. "The Lost we deployed on land as a distraction… they've been almost completely wiped out. Only a handful remain."
Pyon spun toward him, shock written across his face.
"What?!" he barked. "That force numbered nearly eight thousand! How could they be annihilated so quickly?!"
Demiurge remained composed, his eyes faintly glowing as his ability traced lingering remnants of soul energy across the battlefield miles away.
Jace finally spoke.
"Hm… then Warmark's defenses are stronger than anticipated," he said calmly. "Or they received outside assistance."
Pyon clenched his fists.
"But who could possibly be strong enough? And how did they even know the Lost were advancing? This shouldn't be possible!"
Jace turned fully now, his eyes glowing faintly as a dangerous smile curved across his lips.
"It doesn't matter who interfered," he said quietly. "It won't change the outcome."
The air grew heavier.
"Leohart dies today."
Pyon froze.
"Demiurge."
"Yes, young master."
"Prepare for unexpected variables."
"At once."
Jace then shifted his gaze to Pyon.
"And you," he continued, voice sharp as a blade, "do not underestimate anyone. I have a feeling this won't be as effortless as we assumed."
Pyon straightened instantly.
"Yes, Lord Jace!"
The ships surged forward once more, the coastline of Warmark now faintly visible in the distance.
Jace turned back toward the sea, his smile deepening.
I'm almost certain that puppet of the worthless gods is involved, he thought.
How convenient…
His eyes glinted with anticipation.
Looks like I'll be killing two birds with one stone.
The ships raced onward—unstoppable, unseen, and carrying catastrophe in their wake.
⸻
Before long, the envoy of the Kingdom of Righteous arrived within the Unified Nation of Warmark.
As the carriage came to a halt, only two figures stepped out—King Gustavious himself, and the Vice Commander of the Holy Knights, Sir William.
The moment their boots touched the ground, they were met not with ceremony, but chaos.
Soldiers rushed through the streets in tight formations, messengers shouted orders, and defensive structures were being hastily reinforced. The air was thick with urgency. At the center of it all stood Sirius, Captain of Warmark's Royal Guard, barking commands with a sharp, authoritative voice as he oversaw the mobilization of the castle's defenses.
Hearing the carriage arrive, Sirius turned sharply.
His eyes widened when he recognized the figure stepping forward.
"Y-Your Highness… King Gustavious!"
He immediately ran toward them, dropping to one knee in a bow of deep respect. Rising quickly, he then grasped Sir William's hand firmly, shaking it in greeting.
"Welcome to Warmark, Vice Commander William."
His expression shifted almost instantly to one of deep remorse.
"Your Highness, I must offer my sincerest apologies. This is not a proper time for your arrival—it is entirely our fault. We should have informed you of the sudden change in plans sooner."
He clenched his fist.
"We are under attack across the nation by unknown dark shadow creatures. Reports indicate they are converging on the capital as we speak. We were barely able to relay the situation to His Majesty, Emperor Riko, who is currently stalled at one of our vessel states just beyond our borders."
Sirius lowered his head.
"I am deeply sorry you traveled all this way under such dangerous circumstances, before we could warn you. Please forgive us, Your Majesty."
King Gustavious raised a hand calmly.
"There is no need for apologies, Commander Sirius. I came here by choice."
Sirius looked up, surprised.
"On our journey," the king continued, "we encountered thousands of those very creatures marching toward this land. So the state of Warmark does not surprise me."
His gaze sharpened.
"Please take me to your king. I carry information of the utmost importance."
Sirius straightened at once.
"Of course, Your Highness."
He hesitated briefly, then spoke with cautious curiosity.
"Forgive my boldness, but… I do not see anyone else accompanying you. Was the Saint Prince of Menssai not meant to arrive with your envoy?"
King Gustavious met his eyes evenly.
"Take me to your king," he said. "I will explain everything then."
Sirius nodded immediately and gestured toward the castle.
"This way, Your Majesty."
They were led deep into the heart of Warmark's palace. The path Sirius chose was not one of luxury, but of function—wide reinforced corridors, concealed guard posts, and surveillance mechanisms embedded seamlessly into the architecture.
Soon, they arrived before a massive gray titanium door, its surface unmarked yet imposing. A sophisticated locking mechanism—unlike anything seen outside Warmark—rested at its center.
Four royal guards stood at attention on either side of the door.
Each held a long metallic rod fitted with a trigger-like grip, faint arcs of electricity crackling along its surface.
King Gustavious stopped for a moment, eyes narrowing slightly.
So this is Warmark… he thought.
Even Sir William beside him couldn't hide his astonishment.
The military of Warmark was not merely prepared.
It was far ahead of the world.
⸻
Now standing before the massive door, Sirius began the unlocking sequence.
From his waist, where his sword rested, he drew the blade smoothly from its sheath. A narrow slit became visible along the door's surface as if responding to the weapon's presence. Without hesitation, Sirius inserted the sword into the gap.
A sharp crackle followed.
Electricity surged from the blade, flowing directly into the door's mechanism. Runes beneath the metal flickered to life as the charge coursed through the structure. A deep, mechanical hum echoed through the corridor.
With a final click, the lock disengaged.
The door was now free to open.
King Gustavious watched the entire process with undisguised amazement.
"My word…" he murmured. "How on earth did you do that? What manner of device is this?"
Sirius withdrew his blade and bowed politely.
"Your Highness, this system was created by our second princess—Lady Clover Tio von Warmark. It is one of her more recent inventions, designed to reinforce castle security and prepare us for the changes she is currently implementing."
King Gustavious nodded slowly, eyes still fixed on the door.
"Fascinating. And your sword—how is it capable of transmitting electricity like that?"
Sirius hesitated, then answered honestly.
"I… do not know the exact mechanics myself, Your Highness. Lady Clover simply handed it to us and instructed us to press this button when we wished to allow someone entry without killing them."
He paused, then added, "It also functions as an access key for certain restricted areas of the castle."
The king let out a quiet breath, clearly impressed.
"Well then… remarkable."
Sirius stepped aside and gestured inward.
"Please, Your Highness. This way."
Only King Gustavious and Sir William were allowed inside. The rest of the king's escort remained outside as the door closed behind them with a heavy thud, sealing the chamber once more.
⸻
Inside the room stood Warmark's highest authorities.
At the far end sat King Leohart von Warmark upon his command chair. To his side was the First Princess, Diamond Lilian von Warmark. Nearby stood the Prime Minister, Duke Konrad von Warmark, alongside several senior military officials.
As the door opened, King Leohart turned—and froze.
"King Gustavious?"
Surprise crossed his face as the rulers' eyes met. Immediately, everyone in the room rose from their seats and bowed respectfully.
"What an unexpected visit," Leohart said. "I was certain you had been informed of the change in plans before arriving."
His gaze flicked toward Sirius.
Sirius bowed deeply, opening his mouth to explain—but Gustavious raised a hand, stopping him.
"There is no need for concern, King Leohart. I came here fully aware of the dangers."
A seat was prepared beside Leohart, which Gustavious took calmly, Sir William standing just behind him.
"I am here," Gustavious continued, "because I carry information you must hear."
Princess Diamond's eyes lingered briefly on Sir William, studying him with curiosity.
So that isn't Prince Jericho… she realized.
Murmurs rippled through the room.
"What information could warrant such urgency, my friend?" Leohart asked.
Then, with a faint smile, "And… Prince Jericho is not with you?"
Gustavious gestured toward Sir William.
"William. Please."
Sir William stepped forward and bowed deeply.
"I am honored to stand before such distinguished leaders. My name is William Gray, Vice Commander of the Holy Knights of the Kingdom of Righteous."
Another bow followed.
Princess Diamond nodded internally.
I knew it. He's older than Jericho.
Sir William straightened.
"The intelligence that brought us here concerns this very attack."
The room grew quiet.
"This is not a random outbreak… nor a mere stampede of monsters. It was planned."
Gasps escaped several officials.
"This assault was orchestrated by Jace, with the intent of assassinating His Majesty, King Leohart."
Chaos erupted.
"That's absurd!"
"Watch your tongue!"
"How would you even know such a thing?"
"Are you in league with that tyrant?!"
Voices overlapped in outrage.
Then—
"SILENCE."
King Leohart's voice cracked through the chamber like steel.
The temperature seemed to drop.
"Are you all so foolish as to accuse King Gustavious of deceit?" he demanded.
"This intelligence came from him—through his retainer. Show some respect and stop embarrassing this nation."
Shame spread across the officials' faces.
Leohart exhaled slowly.
"I understand now why you felt the need to come in person."
Gustavious inclined his head.
"But there is more," Leohart said. "William, please continue."
Sir William bowed once more.
"Jace himself is making his way here—alongside members of his Grand Four Generals."
Fear spread instantly.
"That is why we are here," William continued.
"To assist Warmark in this battle."
He gestured lightly.
"You may have noticed that Princess Erica von Righteous, Commander of the Holy Knights, is not present. Nor is Prince Jericho, who was meant to attend today's summit."
Several eyes sharpened.
"That is because they are already defending your nation—holding the front lines and awaiting Jace's arrival."
The room buzzed.
"We humbly ask that you accept our aid. While our military technology may not rival yours, we wield something equally powerful—Soul Energy manipulation."
Princess Diamond's eyes widened.
"This power," William added, "was taught to us by the Saint Prince of Menssai himself."
The chamber erupted into hushed discussion.
"So… Jericho is already in Warmark," Leohart murmured.
Gustavious nodded.
A rare smile crossed Leohart's face.
"Sirius," he said, "I trust your heart is at ease now."
Sirius bowed deeply, smiling.
"Hear me, all of you," Leohart declared.
"You will accept the Kingdom of Righteous as allies. Work with them, and defend our nation."
One official hesitated.
"Your Majesty, while we respect their strength, our second princess has already granted us a decisive technological advantage. How can we be certain this 'soul energy' is effective in the hands of mere humans?"
Before anyone could respond—
The door opened.
Two figures entered.
One was Captain Vetra, drenched in sweat and dirt, clearly fresh from the battlefield.
The other followed closely behind.
Vetra bowed sharply.
"Vetra—how are you here already?" Sirius asked in disbelief.
"Weren't you leading the slingers at the border just yesterday?"
"Yes," Vetra replied. "We were holding… until they kept coming. Our weapons began to lose power."
He swallowed.
"Then the ocean rose."
Everyone stilled.
"A wave of silver liquid swept across the battlefield—erasing the shadow beasts instantly."
William closed his eyes briefly.
Jericho… learn restraint, damn it.
"After that," Vetra continued, "a young man appeared and ordered us to hunt down the remaining creatures in the capital."
He hesitated.
"When I tried to protest, an unbearable heat surged through the air. A young woman ignited her blade and incinerated hundreds of them at once."
"She introduced herself as Princess Erica, Commander of the Holy Knights of Righteous."
The room was silent.
"That's why I returned—and why I brought her."
He gestured toward the woman beside him.
King Leohart turned to Gustavious, who nodded calmly.
"I trust that answers your concerns regarding soul energy," Leohart said.
The official sat down slowly, stunned.
"Young lady," Leohart said, "your name?"
Alice stepped forward and bowed.
"I am Alice Will Hidenham, a Four-Star Knight of the Holy Knights of Righteous. I was ordered to escort Captain Vetra—and deliver a message from Prince Jericho."
Vetra's blood ran cold.
{"That man… was Jericho?!"}
"What message?" Sirius asked.
Alice's expression hardened.
"Jace is not here only for King Leohart."
The room tensed.
"He intends to kidnap the Second Princess, Clover."
Fear exploded through the chamber.
"Father—we must get to Clover and the twins immediately!" Diamond cried.
"Yes—yes!" Leohart shouted.
"Vetra! Bring Clover and the twins here at once—no matter what!"
Vetra was already moving.
"Alice, assist him," Gustavious ordered.
She bowed and followed without hesitation.
Leohart turned to Gustavious.
"Thank you, my friend."
Then, raising his voice—
"Everyone else—prepare for war. Today, we show our enemy why Warmark stands unrivaled!"
A thunderous response shook the chamber.
"YES, YOUR MAJESTY!"
As the officials departed to command their forces, only a few remained behind—
Sirius.
Prime Minister Konrad.
Sir William.
And the two kings.